My Clinical Counselling Practice

Individuals

We live in a complex and challenging world where an ever present demand to ingest, digest and integrate information and experiences often overwhelms our capacities. Everyday living and processing is often impaired by a current loss, crisis, or things lingering from our past. People are inherently resilient, but often don’t feel that way or recognize their tenacity to live through adversity, trauma, and other common life challenges. I work from a relational, somatic (body-centred), trauma informed orientation that builds on one’s inherent strengths and motivation, so that the people I work with feel safe and supported in order to take risks to resolve trauma and limiting coping patterns and create the wanted change in their life. Through the therapeutic relationship, we work to expand one’s capacity for self-regulation and connection, explore ways to create change in self-limiting thinking, feeling and behaving, and gain greater understanding of the coping and relational patterns developed over time, in order to improve the person’s internal and external worlds simultaneously. I have often witnessed that out of great adversity and challenge, great change can occur.

Couples

Couples often seek help when they can’t seem to find common ground in times of stress or challenge. Often the emotional coping patterns of each individual create confusion, disharmony and misunderstandings. Feelings get hurt, anger builds, and often people protect their hearts. These patterns of hurt, withdrawal or enmeshment get established despite the care and love. These emotional coping patterns are generally long-standing ways people have learned in order to manage overwhelming experiences and interpersonal relationships. Over time, these coping patterns have become wired into our brains and nervous system. In this way, I see this as biology getting in the way of love. In my work with couples we enter in and begin repairing or building and strengthening an allied relationship and working to re-wire those neural pathways of coping and relationship. We identify and bring awareness to the patterns and begin to create alternative ways of coping that maintain and ultimately strengthen connection with self and partner. Over time, I find that greater understanding of self, the other, and the patterns of the relationship make room for greater compassion and empathy for the ways in which we cope and protect. This lens of kindness opens the possibility for healing unhealthy patterns of relating and paves the way for a stronger, interdependent, allied relationship.

Addictions and Substance Misuse: Family Members

Addiction devastates that which is most precious – one’s dignity and sense of self, relationships, and the ability to choose freely. I believe that people can stop using/misusing substances or engaging in other behaviours that are negatively impacting their life, and create a better life, As an Adult Child of an Alcoholic, I am intimately familiar with the processes and the often multi-generational legacy that creates and perpetuates addiction, and the way that addiction impacts the way that people think, feel, and behave in the world.

I work with adults who grew up in families where addiction was/is present and my goal is to empower them to build autonomy, agency and understanding so that they can make healthy decisions that seek health for themselves, and to recognize the power of all parties within the family system to make their own decisions.

Policies, Fees, & Forms

Individual and couples sessions are 60 minutes and $130.00 plus GST payable at the end of session by cash, cheque, Visa / Mastercard or E-Transfer. I require 24 hours to cancel or change an appointment.

Coverage

Counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor is covered by some extended health plans. Contact your extended health plan provider for more information. Victims of a crime may be covered by the British Columbia Crime Victim Assistance Program. For more information about this program go to: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/financial/